Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-10-06
MIR. DUMBLE'S ADVENTURE.
BY WALLACE p. REED.

A."
When NJ. Dumble had written thi
legend on the greasy register of tn
Hotel Bolivar, the leading hostelry i
the city of Guatemala, he handed til
landlord package of valuable paper
for safe keeping, and said that he woul
go to his room at once.
Mr.. Dumble had arrived late at night
and feel ng sleepy and travel worn, wa
in no mood for conversation. He fel
that after good nights rest he woul,
be all the better able to look after tn,
interests of his firm, the big coffee
house of Bidgood & Co. of Boston.
The next morning the Bostouian wa
up with the sun, but to his inexpressiblc
annoyance he found it somewha
difficult to make his toilet, as his gar.
ments were all missing.
1T is blank, queer thing
soliloguized Mr.. Dumble. as he lodged
about the room. carefully avoiding the
windows. IT hung my clothes on thai
chair last night and now they are
gone.
He looked around for bell, but could
find none. Then he opened his door
and listened ntently.. Nobody was
string in the house.
''Now. am not going to stay in bed
like these lazy Central Americans.
must have my morning walk"
He look down at his airy costume.
Clearly it would not do to go out until
he was dressed. Sticking his head out
of the door he yelled at the top of his
voice:
Hello Waiter Boy
No answer.
Mr.. Dumble in his excitement walk
ed out into the corridor. He noticed
that the door of the room next to his
chamber stood ajar. Without consid-
erng the matter. he plunged in on a
tour of investigation. In moment
he reappeared with an arluful of cloth
ing and rushed inoe his own room.
where he proceeded to inspect his
plumber.
They will fit" he remarked. "But
what an outrageous rig j: is Gold
lace, a sash and sword. and a cooked
hat. I'll put on the things until can
do BETTER
When arrayed in his borrowed garb,
MIR. Dumble presented very pictur-
esque appearance. He was shors and
stout with red, jolly face. and his
peculiar trappings were really beeOm-
ing.
Il feel like fool, said Dumble con-
1dcntially to his reflection in the mir
ror. These buds don't suit bald
headed Boston man in the coffee trade.
Am | masquerade ball or circusP"
Find ny himself unable TO answer
the question, Mr.. Dumble looked out
Of the window. There was no sign of
'ife in the streets. and it was evident
that Gautemala did not boast of an
1arly l. sing population.
After some cons deratian Mr.. Dumble
decided that he would venture out for
a walk. On his return he would ex-
plain things 10 the landlord and make
it all right with the unknown owner of
the fancy costume.
OF course, a man in cooked hat
and gold laced coat, with a sword
dangl ng by his side, could not go
skipping along in the jaunty style Of
the average commercial traveller. Mr..
Dumb BILE saw this, and when he reached
the street he started off at dign fed
pace.
He was very much gratfied to find
that the few persons he met saluted
him with great respect. but after awhile
he grew little uneasy.
"There is something wrong" he
muttered. This is no masquerade
costume. 1t belongs to some ghcock-
alorem fellow, some foreign min ster,
perhaps. The thing may get me into
trouble yet"
However, he was in for it. The ear
ly morning air was so bracing and the
quaint streets so attractive that the
Bostonian could not resist the tempta-
ton to pr olong his stroll. He soon
found himself N the residence part Of
the city, and as the sun climbed h CHER,
the streets began to ill with people.
All the promenaders and even those
in carriages saluted the man in the
cooked hat very deferentially
a am evidently some body" thought
Dumble, "but who in the mischief am
IP Ii could speak their jngling lingo
tolerably well, | would ask for infor-
nation"
1t was now past breakfast time. but
the distracted tourist was not aware of
it. He was thinking of returning to
the hotel, and wondering whether he
had lost his way, when a carriage halt
ed and an officer jumped out and took
off bis hat.
Il was on my way to the hotel" he
said in good English. "but see that
your excelleucy must not walk. Per-
NIT me-" and taking the bewldered
Dumble by the arm he pushed him into
the carriage before there was time for
remonstrance.
In spite of his cooked hat and sword.
Dumble felt his knees shaking together.
What could it mean? Was he about to
be conducted into the presence OF
President Barrios
during the next five minutes he saw
everS thing through haze. He was
vaguely conscious of submissively
allowing himself to be escorted from
the carriage through spacious ground,
into an imposing building where he
found himself in library, acknowl
edging in confused way the greeting
of a handsome, dark-faced, soldierly